Centering device for car couplings



w. P. MURPHY.

CENTERING DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-30, 1919.

Patented May 9, 1922.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1 922.

Application filed December 30, 1919. Serial No. 348,286.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER P. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthecounty'of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Centering Devices for Car Couplings, of which the following is a specification. r

en cars are-on sharp curves, such as are used'in industrialplants and at terminals, it is frequently necessary to position the coupler in the center line of the ear so that couplers on adjacent cars will automatically engage when theycome together. It is'customaryto'elevate' the outside rail on a curve, therefore, when a car equipped'with. a swinging. carrier iron is used the coupler has a'tendency to move to the inside of the curve. p

When a br'akeman is making a coupling it is necessary for him to positionthe coupler on a standing 'car in line with the on coming car, otherwise they are. liable not to couple. In the case of a car'equipped with a swinging carrier iron, in which they coupler had moved totheinside of the'curve,

the brakeman. wouldbe compelled to hold the coupler over either by foot or hand which is notonly dangerousto his lifeand limb but is contrary to the laws in a great many States.

The object of my invention is to, provide means to temporarily retain the couplerin proper position until the cars .are coupled,

whlch coupling will automatically disengage the said means'after which. the coupler,

1s free to accommodate. itself to service movements; with this andother objectsin view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. L I figure 1 is a detailed perspective view of a car end sill construction and associated parts with my invention embodied.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a buffer block, swingingcarrier iron and coupler, the

coupler being sectional with my invention embodied.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view through the buffer and carrier iron, witha coupler in elevation, showing my invention in position for centering the coupler. The reference numeral 1 designates an end sill of any approved construction to which the buffer block 2 is suitably secured. coupler carrier iron 3 is swingingly is formed said stop ure 2..

=nextto the inside of a standard type the draw bar of which-is" provided with lugs 9 on opposite sides thereof which lugs may beattached to the draw bar by casting or any' other practical manner.

v The swinging carrier iron is provided with spaced lugs or ears between which is journaleda stop or centering device, 11 the upper end of the centering device or stop 11 being, preferably, at right angles to the body ,of'the stop. whereby an L shaped stop being freeto swing on the journal 12 secured to the ears-1.0. The I 'stops'll. are ofa width substantially equal .to the width. of the space between the opening in the bu'fi'erpla'teand the sidewalls of the draw bar when the .drawbaris in line with the center of the' car as shownin. Fig- When the draw bar is in centered position as shown inFigure '2..one of the stops -11 ismoved to position between the side walls offthe opening in the bufierblock thereby substantially filling the said spac'e'and' holdunderstood that it isonly necessary .to use the stop 'on' the side of'the coupler which is the curve or the lower rail, which by the way'isjthelside on which the operater would stand.- As .soon as the adjacent couplers: are coupled the, imp act of couplingthrows the two stops 11 to .the

inoperative position in which. one ofthe stops isshown' at the right handside of Figure 2 whereby the coupler is. free to move sidewise with the swinging carrier' iron 3 under service conditions. In-the event that the stops llshoul d for some rea' .son become stuck and 'not. fall by grav ty under. theyiinpa'ct of'coupling the'first pull on the' -.draw bar; brings the lugs .9 in contact with the stops. 1j1= andg'forces, said stops out "of the 'position-shownin Figure '3 where by they position. I

While for the vpurpose of. illustrating my invention I have shown a particular form drop gravity into inoperative It will, of course, be"

'ingfthejcoupler in centered position so that of lug 9 and stop 11 it will of course be understood that changes in the construction of these elements may be made within the scope of the pending claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In a car, the combination of a coupler, of means to-temporarily hold the coupler in proper coupling position while cars are being coupled, said means being released by impact or pull on the coupler.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, of means to temporarily hold the coupler in coupling position to receive a coupler of an on-coming car, said means being released by impact of the couplers or pull of the coupler whereby, when coupled to an adjacent coupler, the coupler-is free to move sidewise under service conditions.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, a carrier iron upon which the outer end portion of the coupler is mounted, means to hold the coupler in line with the coupler of an adjacent car in the act of coupling, a means operated by the lengthwise movement of the coupler to release said holding means,

whereby the outer end of the coupler'is free to move sidewise under service conditions when coupled to another coupler.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the aeiaeee car, of a carrier iron upon which the outer end of the coupler is mounted, means mounted on the carrier iron to temporarily restrain the sidewise movement of the coupler, said means being released by impact or pull .on

the coupler.

5. In a device of the character described. the combination with a coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to a car, of a swinging carrier iron on which the outer end of the coupler is mounted, means carried by the carrier iron to temporarily restrain the sidewise movement of the coupler, and means operated by the coupler to remove the restraining meansout of the path of the sidewise movement of the coupler.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end'with respectto the car, of a carrier iron upon which the outer end of the coupler is mounted, means to temporarily restrain the sidewise movement of the coupler, and means carried by the coupler to move the restraining means to inoperative position.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, of a stop on the carrier iron adapted to temporarily restrain the sidewise movement of the coupler, and means carried by the coupler to move said stop to inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER P. MURPHY. 

